LAKELAND, Fla. – A new practice in Lakeland is becoming a leading voice in making pregnancy safer for women.
Patrickia Allen and her husband welcomed baby Xahir as the newest addition to their family six weeks ago.
“Even though it was my fourth, I was still so nervous and it was just so beautiful,” Allen said.
Allen said she couldn’t have asked for a better birth experience thanks to her team of experts.
“It was absolutely amazing, from the support to being available by phone at all times to calming my nerves before delivery,” Allen said.
Allen will be supported through every step of her pregnancy and beyond by certified midwife Triana Boggs, certified doula Stephanie Lewis and mental health counselor Antionette Pollard.
“This is the only all-black team in our area. We’re all individuals, but we all work really well together,” Boggs said.
After years of working individually, the three women have joined forces and opened a practice in Lakeland. Their goal is to care for the mother’s body and mind to achieve positive birth outcomes.
“During my own pregnancies, I was treated like a number and had problems and complications that I felt were not listened to. That’s why I wanted to offer help to people like me to feel listened to during their pregnancies,” Boggs said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, structural racism, implicit bias and disparities in the quality of health care are factors that cause black women to die from pregnancy-related causes three times more often than white women.
This comprehensive practice offers prenatal and postnatal care, home births, and maternity checkups. Medicare is accepted. Mothers can be assigned a doula to advocate for them during and after birth.
“I come to the birthing room they have chosen. I support them, whether it’s through massage or various movement techniques. I visit them two to three times after the birth,” said Lewis.
If they need additional support, women have the opportunity to contact a psychological counselor.
“We deal with stressors every day, especially pregnant women. Depending on how we deal with that stress, it can undoubtedly impact the outcome of the birth,” Pollard said.
A community resource with a focus on holistic care.
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